Yup, apparently I have started a petition to get Randy Lerner to sell the club back to Doug.

I was going to contact the people who run the petitions to remove it as obviously it wasn't done by me but has used my email etc, however what the hell, it was (hopefully) done as a laugh and with good intentions (unlike some of the crank calls and emails I've had over the last few years including one freak who apparently was going to kill me!)

However I've also noticed, now we've lost a few games (shock horror) some people questioning the intentions and actions of the new regime. Surely, given that they've only been in situ a couple of years and things are moving forward, they deserve the time and respect to show us what they can do?

Some seem to pour scorn on the talk of a five year plan. What would we rather, the policy of the last regime - especially in the latter years - to continually jump out of the frying pan and into the fire? They were no pre-active, just re-active responses, with the new guys they seem to be building something special.

Fine, some talk about the Holte Pub and the training ground as not bringing success on the pitch. I agree, the Holte will never score a goal or win the European Cup. So what should Randy have done? He saw that fans weren't happy that the pub was falling down (and wasn't far off having to be demolished) and he responded VERY quickly to correct that. I know I was amongst many I'm sure who pointed out that this used to be a great first view of Villa from that end and was now a sad, crumbling embarrassment. So I applaud Randy for restoring that with the pride and obvious expense that he has.

And Bodymoor? Some have said, albeit only a few, that the money would have been better spent on players OR that it was Doug who was doing it. Well, you try to attract players of a top quality to the old Bodymoor. Seriously, the place was a joke, the groundsman even had to beg to have sprinklers on the pitches, whereas Randy is having a full size replica of the Villa Park pitch for the players to train on. The old Bodymoor had portacabins and old equipment, enough to put off any top quality players. We now have a state of the art training ground that any club in Europe would be proud of.

OK, again that won't score goals but it will help the players we bring in to score goals. And so to the players. The suggestion by some seems to be that the lack of players is down to the new regime not the manager. Those who are suggesting that, I assume, haven't read the comments by Martin O'Neill who has repeatedly said the money is there and that Randy Lerner is willing to back him to bring the right players to put Villa back on the map.

And so to the manager. So far the spending has been scarce despite the constant talk of imminent signings, patchy and not that successful. There are a couple of gems like Curtis Davies (sadly now out until Oct) and Ashley Young. The rest? Hmmm, time will tell but none seem to be looking like they can take us to the next level.

Hopefully this summer the spending will finally be done as it should be ie not getting average players hoping to make a silk purse out of a sows ear but going for established quality. Our squad is threadbare and if we don't bring in top quality, the quality that we do have will surely look to leave to go to a club who can match their European and domestic ambitions?

I am convinced - and hope never to be proved wrong - that the owner and board share those ambitions and have the wherewithal to achieve them. I'm yet to be fully convinced the manager has the same but hope and pray he is now up to speed (his words not mine) and ready to spend as we need to in order to build a squad capable of really challenging. If he does that, he'll be a Villa legend no doubt. He needs the time and patience and I think by and large, he'll get it. It is a job I'd hate to do, the pressure must be intense.

Comments

Agree with this totally, randy has been superb! I think maybe fans under 20 don't yet have a full grip on the difference Randy has made to the club. As someone who started supporting the Villa the same year Doug took over, i can tell the younger fans there were times when I thought even bluenoses would be having more fun at the sty than we were at the home of league football.
Can't believe how quickly some of the so called fans have turned, mind numbingly rabid with it too!

god damn i hope villa players and MON and Randy read this article. totally agree with you Fear. A few bad results and everything is crap apparently...(que?). our team is awesome compared to a year ago, but go out of form and people forget the positives. we have three games in a row we SHOULD win. If the players keep the confidence they SHOULD still have and MON gets it right tactically (which he so often does) then we will be right back up there. Mic check 1 2

Totally agree Mr Fear, as fans we do expect to be up there, Aston Villa is still a fine club and we finally have a board in place that match the ambitions of the fans. I am totally satisfied with all aspects of what they have done for us. The only issue is that we need strengthening on the pitch and we need depth, MON has my support but by January he should have a team that can qualify for the UEFA Cup as a minimum, otherwise I will lose my faith in him. The state we were in when he took over I gave him 3 years to take us to the UEFA Cup, and I stick by that, if he doesnt acheive it by the end of next season then he will need to be replaced.

Totally agree with all this...some are so quick to forget! if we get a win vs Bolton which we really should i can see us going on a run similar to the end of last season. Get a win vs Bolton and the confidence will be partially restored then off to all ready relegated Derby (has to be another 3 points) which will line us up nicely for the bloose. This match at home is coming at good time as if you can't get motivated for that then you can't for anything. Win that and who knows we copuld go undefeated for the remaider of the season. Pompey, Man City, Everton and Blackburn all have tricky games. Come on the Villa. KEEP THE FAITH MARTIN O'NEILS CLARET N BLUE ARMY! Euro dream is still alive.